If one analyzes the Eagles' passing offense statically, they will see that it averaged a mere 187.9 yards per game — and that ranked 29th in the NFL.
But what if the Philadelphia passing game is analyzed dynamically — just as strength of schedule is meant to be analyzed dynamically and not statically?
In that case, a completely different picture emerges — as the Eagles finished in the top 10 in completion percentage with 67.6 (8th), in yards gained per attempt with 7.85 (7th), and in yards gained per completion with 11.61 (10th).
The reason Philadelphia's passing offense ranked so far down in the league in yards per game is that the Eagles attempted the fewest passes in the entire NFL (448). Their offensive line also allowed 45 sacks, which was 20th in the NFL — leading some observers to believe that the unit may be overrated, at least when it comes to pass-blocking (another factor here is that the Eagles do not have a legitimate deep threat at wide receiver, which would provide them with "blitz control," as Terry Bradshaw likes to refer to it).
After coughing up 15 turnovers in as many games to start the season, the Eagles haven't turned the ball over once since — two regular-season games plus three postseason games — while their defense has scooped up 15 takeaways in those five games. Winning the turnover battle that lopsidedly is literally the surest way to victory.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs — who the Eagles will face in Super Bowl LIX — had an outrightly below average season offensively, scoring only 385 points, which was less than the league average of 389.5. Moreover, when it comes to yardage, Kansas City was also below average, gaining just 327.6 yards per game (the league average was 337.4), although they did manage to rank 16th overall — just barely in the "first division," as they used to say in baseball.
Of course what former Minnesota Vikings head coach Bud Grant once said about the Dolphins — "They might not be America's Team, but they're the league's team" (annually Miami led the league in fewest net penalties during Grant's tenure) — now applies, by the factor of 10x, to the Chiefs; and this was in evidence again in Sunday's AFC Championship Game against Buffalo, when a Bills first down was reversed, leading to Kansas City's third consecutive Super Bowl appearance (Buffalo fell to 53-88 on natural grass dating all the way back to 1995).
The deciding play of Chiefs/Eagles 1.0 — aka Super Bowl LVII — occurred in the second quarter, when Jalen Hurts, holding a 14-7 lead and the ball at mid-field, fumbled the snap, whereupon Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton recovered and ran it for a touchdown. In the type of "football" played "across the pond," it would have been referred to as an "own goal" (the Chiefs went on to win that day, 38-35).
There would appear to be no chance that anything resembling that will happen again this time around — and some pundits are going so far as to opine that Super Bowl LIX is the Eagles' to lose, even though the Chiefs opened as 2-point favorites (the line has since edged downward to 1 1/2).
If the Eagles do emerge victorious, Super Bowl LIX will be forever remembered as "The Revenge of the Game Managers."
Who knows?
A movie might even be made out of it — with that very title.
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